MTN Uganda, the largest telecom company in Uganda, has announced Network Modernization to embrace the digitalization journey with a 5G Core Network Transformation. As part of this, the telco announced a five-year strategic partnership with Huawei to transform and modernize its network towards a Cloud-native 5G Capable Core network.
MUNA project
Named MUNA Project, this partnership is part of the greater MTN Group MUNIC strategy to develop MTN Uganda's network into an All Cloud Core Network. As a result, MTN Uganda to have a future-proof network with greater service agility, innovation for both consumer and industrial verticals, differentiation, improved operational efficiency and better customer experiences with higher data speeds and reduced latency. The Network Modernization project is expected to combine the various existing legacy core network elements (such as MSCs, HLR, HSS and EIR) into a single vendor and simplified, easy-to-manage Cloud-native core network.
Also Read: Africell Angola Announces Service Expansion to Benguela
Ali Monzer, the Chief Technical and Information Officer at MTN Uganda, says, "Through this project, we are modernizing our core network to get ready for 5G in the near future in Uganda. However, this modernization will also help us immediately in delivering a better quality of our voice network."
MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer, Sylvia Mulinge, notes that the MUNA partnership with Huawei makes MTN's core network battle-ready for the impending 5G launch.
"As MTN Uganda, we have always been the front runner of evolving technology in this country. In 2020, we were the first operator in East Africa to do a successful 5G network demonstration. While that was a non-commercial exhibition, this modernization of our network comes in as a precursor of the 5G capabilities which Uganda is going to experience soon," she said.
Also Read: MTN SA Chooses Teoco as Its Partner for 5G Network Planning
Gavin Gaofei, the Managing Director at Huawei Uganda, said, "modernization and innovation for greater technology-enabled service propositions requires sustainable partnerships and enabling ecosystems. We, at Huawei Technologies, are proud to cement our 20 Year strategic partnership with MTN Uganda with yet another future-oriented Cloud-native 5G Core network initiative."
MTN Uganda Network Transformation
As part of this Network transformation, MTN Uganda will not only focus its resources where and when needed but also save on the environmental footprint due to the miniaturization of the telecom infrastructure, which is a vital element in MTN group's ESG agenda. This activity is in line with the country's vision 2040, which aims at transforming society.
In December 2022, MTN Uganda celebrated its first anniversary as a publicly listed company. MTN has a presence in all 134 districts of Uganda.
